SKYE DIVING

A plunge pool on the deck is just one of the unexpected pleasures built into this impressive new home overlooking Portree harbour

- Malcolm Jack

Framing unspoiled views over Portree harbour towards the Cuillin mountains through huge floor-to-ceiling windows, Vriskaig is a house purpose-built to serve the stunning scenery of Skye. And yet, ask owner Edward Wickman what he loves best about his new home, and he’ll go into granular detail about its design and build. From the rustic natural quartzite façade, expertly crafted by local stonemason Francis Yeats, to a very particular light fitting in the bedroom, handmade by Allied Maker of Long Island, New York, this has been a labour of love. “I kind of take the views for granted,” reflects Wickman, who owns the Cuillin Hills Hotel next door and has lived on the island for the past six years. “People walk in and go, ‘Oh wow, amazing view!’ And I go, ‘Yeah, but look at this lovely clay plaster on the wall,’” he laughs.

Cast the eye near or far and there’s a lot for it to linger on. This is a highly sustainable, understated but luxurious timber-frame home, hugging the hillside just outside the capital of the Inner Hebrides’ largest island. It’s spacious – two hundred square metres – with two en-suite bedrooms and a generous open-plan kitchen, diner and lounge.

Room Studio, the Bath-based practice of architect Ross Duggleby and interior designer Nina Cooley, are largely responsible for the house, which Wickman has named after Vriskaig Point, a landmark visible across the bay. But plenty of others too, not least the owner himself, had a big part to play in completing a project several years (and more than a few teething problems) in the making.